The present invention relates generally to playing devices, and more particularly, is directed to a pneumatically operated playing device for randomly casting at least one discrete article.
Many devices are known for randomly casting a pair of dice. These devices, however, generally use some form of mechanical actuation of the device or of a supporting surface on which the dice are positioned. For example, some of these devices provide an elastic supporting surface for the dice, and the elastic supporting surface is grasped and then released, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 177,438. Other devices disclose impacting the elastic supporting surface by a hammer, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 178,537.
Another example of a known device for randomly casting a die is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,356,369, which has a spring element with an upper surface on which a die rests. The spring element can be depressed by a transparent cover, and when released, the spring element pops up the die to randomly cast the same.
With all of such devices, however, a separate mechanical actuating assembly must be provided, thereby adding to the complexity and cost of the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 485,709 discloses a pneumatically operated die caster. In this device, a die is positioned on a support surface, and a chamber is connected to the underside of the support surface through a conduit. The chamber is open at the bottom to receive air. A plunger is positioned in the chamber and is normally biased upwardly by a spring. When the plunger is depressed against the force of the spring, air is displaced by the plunger and flows through the conduit to impart a force to the die support surface, and thereby cause the die to be randomly cast. When the plunger is released, the spring returns it to its initial position, and at the same time, air is drawn into the chamber at the bottom thereof. However, since this device requires a separate plunger and spring, it also is relatively complex and costly.
Other devices which use a pneumatic actuator for propelling a ball, a car of the like are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,170,373; 4,468,029; and 4,513,967. These devices, however, use a plunger similar to that of U.S. Pat. No. 485,709, and therefore suffer from the same deficiencies. See also U.S. Pat. No. 3,711,097.
The above deficiencies in known devices are not limited to die casting devices. For example, such deficiencies apply to many other devices, such as in apparatus for randomly selecting numbers in a lottery game, in which a plurality of balls are randomly cast.